Wraps budget documents in traditional ‘bahi khaata’
New Delhi: Setting a new precedent, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman this morning was seen hugging the Budget documents wrapped in a red cloth, the traditional ‘bahi khaata’ way, instead of the leather briefcase that until now her predecessors marched out with. Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian said the famed Budget Briefcase had been replaced by the traditional ‘bahi khaata’ in keeping with Indian tradition. “It is in Indian tradition. It symbolises our departure from slavery of western thought. It is not a budget but a ‘bahi khaata’ (ledger),” Subramanian said.
“Sitharaman believes that leather made products are not auspicious for the big occasion, so she avoided the leather bag and took the bahi khaata. This is considered to be auspicious. The Finance Minister has worked in the UK and she knows the tradition of our country. We must appreciate her decision,” he added.
Earlier, Nirmala Sitharaman, India’s first full-time Finance Minister ditched another tradition. During the customary ‘Halwa Ceremony’ before the Budget Session, she untied the red ribbon instead of cutting it, officials said she believed cutting a ribbon is not considered auspicious.
Nirmala Sitharaman’s red folder caused a buzz amid anticipation surrounding her first Budget, also the first of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second term. Especially as the word “Budget” originates from the French “bougette” or leather bag. Down the years, finance ministers have carried red, black, tan and brown briefcases.
The “budget case” tradition started in the 18th century, when the Chancellor of the Exchequer or Britain’s budget chief was asked to ‘open the budget’ while presenting his annual statement. In 1860, the then British Budget chief William E. Gladstone, carried his papers in a red suitcase with the Queen’s monogram in gold. He went on to become the Prime Minister. The same bag was used by several governments.
India’s first budget was presented by R.K. Shanmukham Chetty in 1947, months after independence. Ten years later, T.T. Krishnamachari carried something that looked like a file bag. Jawaharlal Nehru carried a black briefcase. Earlier this year, then Finance Minister Piyush Goyal had carried a red briefcase before presenting the Interim Budget. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley before him carried a tan briefcase.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, as the Finance Minister who delivered the iconic 1991 proposals, carried a black bag. Pranab Mukherjee, as Manmohan Singh’s Finance Minister, used a red briefcase similar to the Gladstone case of Britain. It was velvet, according to reports.
She worked in the UK? Was just a part-time BBC world service Tamil programme presenter. A few hours 2/3 days a week.She did not have work permit to work in the UK, as her husband was a student then.
Modi’s ministers manufacture curriculam vitae!’
What nonsense! India has Westminster style parliament-that is British creation, and the annual presentation of the budget is also British style! There are brief cases which are not made from leather, but of synthetic material. Hypocrisy indeed,if British style parliament is not changed. India’s national sport is cricket-British invention! Even soccer( football, Tennis etc..are also British inventions!
Style is immaterial, but the substance is. Still, after this budget, India remains a third world country.
When there is nothing in budget to satisfy citizen needs and to deviate public from inflation , this unnecessary act takes place and the entire foolish media is just behind this rather highlighting inflation and discussing budget.
Her footwear must be leather! It looks like a cloth bag of blouse and saree! Instead of this ridiculous stunt, why can’t this government address address the problems people are facing every day? There is severe drought in major parts of India, people struggling to get water, and yet no integrated planning-one nation planning to address this.